'Quantum Break': Let's do the time warp again

Who it's for: Anyone thirsty for a good third-person shooter or Xbox One exclusive

Console: Xbox One

Grade: B

The relationship between video games and ... well ... anything else has always been tenuous at best. Very few movies or television shows have done justice to the medium, not knowing what to do with the interactive element inherent in games.

Who would have known the key to success was to integrate the TV show within the game itself?

Welcome to "Quantum Break," an innovative third-person shooter from Remedy Entertainment, the studio behind "Max Payne" and "Alan Wake." Interspersed with the game's five acts are television episodes that flesh out the story, something that works surprisingly well thanks to the power of the Xbox One.

The game begins like a superhero origin story: Lab accident threatens the world by fracturing time. It also gives the story's hero and villain the power to manipulate time. You control Jake Joyce, played by Shawn Ashmore from the "X-Men" films and the TV show "The Following."

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While the base gameplay will feel familiar to anyone who's ever played a third-person shooter, Joyce's ability to manipulate time allows him to streak about, dodging bullets and pumping lead into unsuspecting bad guys who literally never see you coming. In typical comic book fashion, it doesn't take Joyce much time to acclimate to his new powers, throwing up a time shield here, trapping enemies in a time bubble there.

Considering how much of the game revolves around slow motion the action remains surprisingly fast. Joyce's powers get stronger as the game progresses, as do his enemies of course. When your opponents start to teleport about like you do it introduces a level of chaos not for the timid.

In a great twist, the player gets a chance to make unexpected choices at the end of each act that affects both the TV show and the action later in the game. As I've only played through the game once I don't know how much of a difference it makes in the overall outcome.

The action itself is solid but not revolutionary. Gunplay is smooth and the cover mechanic works flawlessly. Unfortunately, each time Joyce uses one of his abilities it takes a little time before he can use it again. A timer appears on the screen letting you know how long until you can use it again.

The box cover of "Quantum Break." (Courtesy image)

That's all well and good until you have multiple timers all counting down at once and you're trying to figure out what power you have left to use. That byproduct of the chaos I could have done without.

What really makes "Quantum Break" work though isn't the slightly improved but mostly derivative gameplay, it's the storytelling. The television episodes which appear between acts aren't just some old-style, full-motion video cutscenes. These are well-produced videos the length of an average half-hour TV show. While this may seem like a long time between rounds of gameplay the videos move along at a brisk pace and feature excellent production values overall.

Unlike most games, these episodes flesh out many of the characters, not just the player's avatar. You'll learn about motivation behind the enemies and see the overall situation from several angles. This adds depth and meaning to the game as a whole and makes you more seriously consider some of your choices.

No matter which choices you make, the give-and-take between the interactive and non-interactive segments result in an unforgettable experience.

It must be noted, however, that the TV episodes are not on the disc, they are streamed from the internet. A stable, high-speed connection is a must to experience them smoothly. With my 150 Mbps connection I experienced no problems, but your mileage may vary.

It's refreshing to see a really good exclusive for the Xbox One. These sorts of games are flowing slowly this generation, so when one arrives it should be appreciated.

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